Back in the fall, a few friends and I planned to visit the Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard for their annual stomp. Someone who works with one of my friends had dropped it into conversation with her, and as soon as she told us we started planning it. We had been intending to go for ages, but were looking for a good excuse to go, and also a time when we were all free. Sara’s birthday was the perfect excuse! I’m a lover of all things wine. I enjoy drinking it, buying it and even reading about it on I love wine. My friends are exactly the same, so we were super excited. Sugarloaf offers stunning views and we all couldn’t wait to celebrate our friend Sara’s birthday with such a fun event. And then it got cold and rainy. Not the ideal weather for running around barefoot.

At the last minute we found the perfect indoor alternative, the Olney Winery. Their tasting room in Olney can accommodate small and large groups and they offer wine tastings everyday of the week. You can try 5 wines for $7.

The birthday girl picked a few whites and reds, and even a sweet cherry wine, for us to try. We sipped and wandered around to enjoy the art. After we tried all five, we each selected a glass of our favorite wine. We all thoroughly enjoyed the tasting sessions and have even considered joining the splash wine online club to continue discovering new wines.

In addition to the tasting, we snacked on all sorts of cheeses, crackers and fruits that we brought along in a picnic basket. There is a seemingly endless selection of wines to try, but if there isn’t one you like, you could always make your own.

And now that winter is over, I’m ready to transition from drinking wine on my couch in hibernation to enjoying a wine tasting with friends.

Some new spots on my list are the Rocklands Farm Winery & Market and the Linganore Vineyard. Rocklands is so close to DC and Linganore has a whole lineup of festivals through the summer, like the Bluegrass, Brew & BBQ festival this weekend.

If you happen to be closer to Annapolis, try Great Frogs Winery.